WOYWW 660 - splurge time!

 Hello deskers - tis Wednesday once more and another WOYWW - desk/crafty space sharing day.. Head to the Stamping-Ground for the details 

I've had a very productive week for once, been following Tracy Scott on FB -not as mentioned last week her doodle a day challenge - but instead Pattern Play - the latest topic for the Paperartsy blog and something Tracy is known for. She put together a video on You Tube and it can be found in the blog post here  

I had a go with my new stamps that I mentioned last week....

and was hooked

here are some of the pages I've created 

Tracy uses a sketchbook to try out her new stamps she creates for Paperartsy, to get an idea of how best to use them -  and as the video linked above, suggests, it's a great way to play - as you can see, it's addictive 

I've double some of the pages in the pics to take up less space and the inks I've used are all versafine clair 

some of the colours don't show up very well and there are some just in black

 

my second splurge was Sara Naumann stamps, also for Paperartsy and you can see from the card above I've played with them already too

I am on a total spending splurge (as the post header suggests) and there are some new Dina Wakley goodies arriving today (but too late to appear this week!)  and another Tracy Scott stamp set that I resisted to start with but now have to have to carry on my pattern playtime!  

 

before I go I will just add the link for last Saturday's trip to Kew (the forecast sun didn't arrive!) and as this is already a very photo heavy post I'll just tempt you with one more!

it's another from the walkway round the upper level of the Temperate House.

thanks for looking, and I will catch your desk spaces very soon.  

WOYWW 659

 Is it Wednesday again already?  Welcome for another mid-week desk hop at WOYWW 

I've been watching (only watching so far, after a bit of a bodged first attempt)  a daily challenge (ok, so I missed the start of it) a Doodle a Day challenge run by Tracy Scott, one of Paperartsy's designers on her Facebook Group Tracy Scott Creative Cafe.  I love a doodle, me.  Turns out I am not very good at random though.  If I could work out how to link to her FB group I would... but search her out.   She is amazing at patterns and colour...

I might have bought some pens to have a go though... 

there are black ones (on the left) white ones (in the middle) and a selection of colours (on the right)

Amazon, of course....

Then, on Monday, Paperartsy launched some new stamps and stencils by Tracy. and er... I may have put in an order (the stencils it turns out, she's been using for her daily doodles)  

Can't wait to have a play with them when they arrive (in transit as we speak!)

I finished the birthday card from last week,  and also made the second one (similar idea, different stamps) for another friend.

finished card

close up of part of it

I've used pinky purples as the recipient is a pink fan   (versafine clair inks, I love them0

the background layer is again Paperartsy stamps and the focal image is a Dina Wakley favourite.  

I can't remember the last time I was so ahead of the game with birthday cards for the month they are due!  

Several of you saw some of the Kew pics on Saturday (I always put some on FB as I walk round)  but the post is here 

It was chilly and foggy which made for atmospheric photos including this one as I walked from the station over Kew Bridge on the way...

the witch hazel was fantastic though.

so recently I've had rain,  cold,   fog,   cold,  wonder what this weekend will bring!

I bet it won't be warm sunshine though!

Thanks for looking and I'll be round soon to see what you've been up to. 

WOYWW 658

 Welcome back for another installment of WOYWW  - details to join are here We'd love to see what you've been doing

I don't seem to have done anything much since last week.  

I have started work on a January birthday card I need,  not sure it is going to work out but the design is still in  my head!

I'm using some Paperartsy stamps as it's been too long since I did... 

in case you can't make out the "design" I took a close up

excuse the shadow - using the phone!  

the background is a Seth Apter stamp for Paperartsy and the top layers are the stamp set in the picture above, by Sara Naumann

As predicted I did get wet at Kew last Saturday - fortunately not as wet as the forecast initially suggested. I think this weekend it will just be cold!

but I did get some great raindrop photos!

Short and sweet for me this week,  thanks for looking and I'll be round to see your crafty workspaces soon.

Happy WOYWW  

WOYWW 657

 Happy New Year deskers - here we are, meeting for week 657 with the WOYWW gang. 

I've been relatively busy since we last met...

I added to the journal page from last week and now it IS finished - 

I still haven't managed to photograph it in daylight though and not likely to now I am back at work

I did some scribbly lines round the purple stencilling areas and then wrote across the middle section

I've made my brother a birthday card - he reminded me it would be his 60th when we swapped Christmas presents

It's on Thursday, but he won't see this so I am safe to share it here.

I don't do ultra elaborate or fancy cards  but happened to see a YouTube video with circles across a double journal page which sparked my imagination.  

I dusted off some punches (literally dusted off, to my shame)  and sprayed them with Dina Wakley gloss sprays.  

the card I used is a bit thin so have stuck two circles together.  

Then I went back to the kraft journal. 

the black circles were already there, stamped with a lid of a modelling paste pot 

and that is the total of the time off work - not much to show, but better than it looked at one stage.

I did get a trip to Kew on Saturday - check the post here  there was even sunshine!

amazing how bright it makes everything look!

I'll be over to check your crafty beginnings to the new year soon  Happy WOYWW!  

Julia's early again, so publishing now.  

WOYWW 656

 Hi one and all, and a happy nearly New Year to you all...  I hope you had a great Christmas and Sana brought you some good gifts.  It's time once more, and for the last time this year - to meet with Julia and our happy band of WOYWW deskers...

I bought some extra (battery operated) lights for the window at the top of my stairs 

this is in daylight 

a small but perfectly formed pile of Christmas gifts  - I spent the day at home just me,  as is quite normal - having seen my brother the day before to swap gifts.

there's a lovely soft grey jumper from my brother & sister in law (and some edible goodies) and the grey/yellow thing at the bottom is a scarf from Monica (with a gift voucher and the selfie stick cum tripod for the phone.  The bottles were from a couple of people at work - champage and a clementine gin liquer. 

I had half planned to go to Kew today but didn't - the weather forecast said there was a fairly high chance of rain (and it was windy)  which after I'd not got up and ready in time to go, didn't materialise. so of course I could have had a good walk in the fresh air. 

after spending another day lounging around and watching TV I played in my journal for the first time in quite a long time... It's not finished I don't think,  it needs some hand writing or something else on it and possibly a main focal point... we'll see!

There is more chance of rain for the rest of the week until Saturday so it looks as if I won't get to Kew mid week as well as Saturday, but never mind, I am enjoying some relaxing days and not getting up early.

Wishing you all a very happy New Year and stay safe - I really hope that we can stop having to say it soon (not that I don't still wish it)  but somehow I fear not....

I'm posting early as having just gone to visit Julia for the link, her post is already up.  

WOYWW 655

Welcome one and all, to the desk before Christmas....if Julia thought last week that time was hurtling - well now it has well and truly hurtled!  Time for one more desk hop before the big guy comes down the chimney...

Head to the Stamping-Ground for all the details. Of course since last week I have been super busy and creative.. er not !  I did some speed-buying of Christmas presents and even have them wrapped and ready.

well at least the tags are hand made!

as always I didn't get round to clearing enough space to decorate properly so did the same as most years and just decorated the living room window sill but it doesn't photograph very well 

but my Powertex angel looks festive in her lights!  

I've received lots of beautiful hand made cards -thank you to everyome who sent one - they're hanging in the hall and are even harder to photograph so I haven't!  

I had a morning at Kew last weekend of course,  with hardly any photos - this is the link - 

I can't give you holly, but I can ivy - in flower.

Unfortunately Kew aren't opening especially for me this coming Saturday (cheek!)  but I hope to get a visit in, during the break between Christmas and New Year, Covid willing!

I'd just like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and healthy and creative New Year - see you soon!

WOYWW 654

 I'm writing this on Tuesday night, watching a programme about the making of Christmas at Kew and it does look magic!  I might get together a group to go again next year (it's definitely best enjoyed in a group and not on your own!)

But you are here to see my "desk"  for another week's WOYWW  - although I am not sure if Ihave a lot to show you this time...

last week after bemoaning how I would have to crack on and write my cards, I did just that, after finishing the round of desks...

and a short time later a pile ready for posting...in the end it didn't take too long! 

which they duly were, last Thursday morning  

I feel a lot better having got them in the mail!

This Thursday should have been our office Christmas party, but we've taken the sensible decision to postpone it for now to hopefully allow everyone to stay Omicron Covid free and not have their Christmas plans put into isolation 

Instead, some of us are attending a quiz night by zoom.  

in the meantime, for my own magic of Kew - head to last weekend's trip here (shortly before my Covid booster) 

I am afraid I can't give you a light display though!

see you soon at a desk near you.